“The Nerd,” written by Larry Shue and directed by JC Clementz, has returned to its roots for its fourth run at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. The play had its world premiere here in 1981 when Shue, the resident playwright at the time, wrote and starred in the production. Since its debut, the show has been performed around the world, including its run on Broadway in 1987.
Several Milwaukeeans in the audience relayed in the pre-show “In-depth at the Rep” segment how excited they were to see this play again, after not having seen it since 1981 when it premiered. Many eager returning audience members actively asked questions about the show’s history, actors and story.
From a visual standpoint, the set, the costumes, the hairdos all screamed 1970s, maintaining the show’s original ambiance and design. The setting of a dated suburban house created a feeling of being directly in the living room where all of the action was happening. Everything from the green carpet to the wood paneling added authenticity and great support to the rest of the play.
“The Nerd” offered many characters who were caricatures of real life yet just slightly relatable enough to feel for them. The title character was the over-the-top and ridiculous “nerd,” Rick Steadman, played by Michael Doherty. It was hard to not be completely annoyed with this character, but nonetheless, the audience ate up every joke, every tambourine number and every drawn-out “ya-know.” If the point was to make the entire audience want to simultaneously listen to and kick out Rick Steadman, then Doherty wholeheartedly got the job done.
Other highlights included the subtle and witty comments from Axel Hammond, played by Jeremy Peter Johnson, as well as the delightfully chaotic personality of Mrs. Waldgrave, played by Lillian Castillo. As a whole, all the characters were enjoyable and, most of all, fun to watch.
Between a dinner party gone unbelievably wrong, an uproarious game or two, and an exaggerated “Wisconsin accent,” it was a ludicrous and hilarious performance. There was seldom a moment in which there was no laughter. Audience members reveled in the slapstick and physical comedy, and they appreciated every aspect of the characters’ eccentric quirks.
While I found the first act far more amusing and hilarious, the entire show withstood the test of time. The jokes and frustrations, the – well, maybe not the bell-bottoms – proved to be relevant and united the audience in laughter.
“The Nerd” will be running at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater from now until Dec. 15, 2019.